Elements of Effective Thinking
Tips from 5 Elements of Effective Thinking available from Princeton University Press
1. Understand Deeply. Instead of looking at a problem that can’t currently be solved, focus on a simpler or smaller version of that problem, and study that problem carefully.
2. Fail to Succeed. Successes in every area are built open a series of failures. Students should see failure as inevitable and ask themselves what’s missing from their current solution to improve upon the next version.
3. Create Questions. Asking questions can challenge students to approach a problem from a different point of view. Students can create a self-study guide for an exam by writing the exam themselves -- that is, identifying the big questions that the teacher is asking.
4. See How Ideas Relate. Students should track ideas over time, not only to anticipate what will happen in the future but to understand how past developments built on each other.
5. Engaging Change. If students expect to see improvement, they should also expect to see change.
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Word of mouth is the way we grow. If you know college students who would be interesting in starting a Splash program or teens who may be interested in attending one, direct them to our website and encourage them to sign up for future newsletters.
Wheels Up!
Naszir Johnson of New Haven, CT during lunch at Yale Sprout.
What We’re Reading
“They have the grades and the test scores to be here,” said my colleague, director of undergraduate studies in math at the Johns Hopkins University. “What they don’t have is a deep understanding of why the techniques they’ve been taught work, the actual underlying mathematical relationships. They walk into to my classroom in September and don’t have the study habits or proper foundation to do the work.”
Registration for the US Physics Team F=MA contest is open! Teachers or school leaders can register a team.
What happens when a parent attempts his daughter’s homework.
MIT PRIMES is open for applications for high school students within driving distance in the Boston area. Students accepted to the program are mentored by mathematics researchers.
Upcoming Programs
To receive announcements about a specific program, please register for an account on that program’s website.
Saturday, November 2 - Duke Splash
Saturday-Sunday, November 2-3- Stanford Splash
Saturday, November 9 - Yale Splash
Saturday, November 16 - Columbia Splash
Saturday, November 16- Clark University Splash
(NEW!) Saturday, November 16- Amherst Splash
Saturday, November 16 - Brandeis Splash
Sunday, November 17- Boston College Splash
Saturday-Sunday, November 23-24- MIT Splash *Starting this year, MIT Splash will be grades 9-12 and the spring Spark program will be grades 7-8 only. For more information see the MIT ESP website.
“How do computer clocks tell time?”
-- Asked in Computer Architecture, offered at Yale Sprout
See the answer and make a gift to Learning Unlimited so that we can continue to inspire students to ask great questions.
